July 30, (THEWILL) — Arsenal’s new signing Viktor Gyokeres may make his first appearance for the club in Thursday’s pre-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong.
Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed the striker is in contention after participating in limited training sessions this week.
The £63.5 million acquisition from Sporting CP could feature if medical staff approve his fitness ahead of the match.
Gyokeres joins Arsenal following a record-breaking season in Portugal, where his 39 goals in 33 league games propelled Sporting to their 21st Primeira Liga title.
His 27 non-penalty strikes surpassed top-tier scorers like Kylian Mbappé and Robert Lewandowski.
The Swedish international will wear the number 14 shirt, previously donned by Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, adding pressure to deliver immediately.
Arteta emphasised caution regarding Gyokeres’ involvement, stating the decision hinges on medical assessments.
Arteta stated, “He’s only done today’s session and yesterday, he did very little.
“If the medical staff are happy with his condition, it’s a possibility.” The rest of Arsenal’s squad, including captain Martin Ødegaard, is fully fit for the fixture.
Ødegaard praised Gyokeres’ adaptability and quality, noting his immediate impact in training. “You can already see the energy, hunger, and willingness he brings,” Ødegaard said.
“His numbers at Sporting speak for themselves—he’s a complete striker: physical, fast, and intelligent.”
The Norwegian midfielder highlighted the club’s supportive environment as key to integrating new signings smoothly.
The friendly against Spurs is Arsenal’s final pre-season match in Asia before returning to competitive action.
A debut for Gyokeres, even in a non-competitive fixture, would offer fans a glimpse of the firepower Arteta hopes will address last season’s goal-scoring shortcomings.
With the English Premier League campaign looming, his potential involvement adds intrigue to the North London clash.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
